Help with my Manfrotto 055 tripod

[Theo]

Hello,

I am assembling my first 4x5 kit, and I just bought a manfrotto 055 tripod. It's great except for one thing - there's some play where the tripod mounting plate connects to the center column. This is annoying as it lets the lets the tripod head & camera rotate fairly easily when force is applied to the pan/tilt handles.
The first picture shows where it's rotating if you can't picture it.
I could just glue it in place, but I feel like there's a way to tighten. Looking down the upside-down center column (2nd picture) I can see that there's a nut attached to a bolt, then a plate or washer (sorry, I'm not very mechanically literate). If I can find a long enough socket would tightening that nut have any effect? Or is there another way to do it (it would have to be a damn long socket, not one you can find in your standard set)?

My other alternative would be to do away with the center column entirely and replace it with a 3/8 bolt and washer, but I'd like to keep the center column for small adjustments.

Thanks for your help!

Theo

PS Good thing I also bought a tiltall - it's one of the Star-D ones but looks/feels exactly the same.

[mdarnton]

You have the right idea. Assuming you don't have the tools, you might try a friendly car repairman--he's have the socket needed, and all of the extensions to reach down into the depths of the tube. Just make sure he doesn't over-torque it.

[Ian Gordon Bilson]

Are those 3 screws I can see part of the solution? I'm pretty sure the can be tightened to stop play in the component..

[Theo]

The 3 screws do not connect through to the center column part - I think taking it to a mechanic to tighten the bolt is a good call. Thanks.

[mdarnton]

The three screws connect upwards, to hold the head in place. That's why their slots should be visible on the bottom, so you can screw them up.

[Theo]

Ahhhh that is handy. I was wondering what they were for.

[John Koehrer]

Remove the top plate on the tripod. There should be enough thread to grip the screw with a pair of pliers.
Cushion the jaws of the pliers to protect the threads and unscrew the bolt. A bit of nail polish on the thread where it comes out of the column will help keep it in place.

The three screws in the plate secure the head and keep it from rotating/unscrewing.